Over the many years that I have taught the Sermon on the Mount to my New Testament and Book of Mormon students I have without exception marveled at the beautiful concepts taught by the Savior. But at the same time I have always struggled to place the Sermon on the Mount in its proper context. It always seemed to be an unusual sermon, changing subjects so frequently that I often felt it was more like an annotated table of contents, or a mini-handbook of religious living.

A number of scholars have claimed that the Sermon on the Mount was compiled by Matthew and Luke from various sermons, or sayings, given by Jesus. Matthew indicates the setting of this sermon as being a mountain. Luke's much shorter version takes place on the plain. Since Jesus delivered this same sermon (Matthew's version) to the Nephites at the temple in Bountiful, we can safely say that the sermon was organized and delivered by Jesus. It is His own unique sermon and not a compilation of sayings.Many of the perplexities of this unique sermon evaporate when one understands the purpose and unity of these instructions. Primarily, the Sermon on the Mount is a "Kingdom of God" sermon. Simply stated, Jesus' message to the Jews was: The Kingdom of God is now upon the earth, salvation is now obtainable, and the end is nigh at hand. (See 2 Thes. 2:7 and John 2:18.)

Because of this shortness of time, Jesus had to prepare His disciples for a very brief ministry in which to establish the Kingdom of God on the earth. Biblical scholars have maintained that the primary message of Jesus has centered on the Kingdom of God.

Bible scholar Norman Perrin has made this categorical claim: "The central aspect of the teaching of Jesus was that concerning the Kingdom of God. On this there can be no doubt and today no scholar does, in fact, doubt it. Jesus appeared as one who proclaimed the Kingdom; all else in His message and ministry serves a function in relation to that proclamation and derives its meaning from it." (Quoted from John P. Meier, A Marginal Jew, Rethinking the Historical Jesus, Vol. 2, p. 237.)

Where there is no Kingdom of God there are no valid ordinances, no priesthood, no revelation, and no salvation. Thus the disciples of Jesus had the responsibility of building this kingdom in a very short time. As Jesus saw the growing numbers of the multitude, He separated the disciples from the multitude and led them to a secluded mountain where He could train them in those matters pertaining to the Kingdom of God. (Matt. 5:1.) Thus, the Sermon on the Mount is, indeed, like a mini-handbook for the building up of God's Kingdom.

Without question, the greatest need at this time was for a trained missionary force to preach to the growing multitude. However, the Sermon on the Mount was not only a directive to the disciples to proclaim the gospel, to teach and to baptize, but it was also a code of conduct for them to prepare for the holocaust of evil and opposition that would be heaped upon them before the rising generation could reach maturity.

Because of the insights found in the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (JST), the Lord's instructions to His sequestered disciples concerning their urgent involvement in missionary work becomes clear.

When we teach the Sermon on the Mount, it is essential to use the Joseph Smith Translation. It clarifies the Kingdom-of-God-nature of this remarkable sermon. The dominant need of the Kingdom of God was for members to be missionaries. The following quotes from the Joseph Smith Translation will point out how this sermon was focused on the disciples as the missionary force the Lord would use to teach the increasing multitudes:

1. "Blessed are they who shall believe on your words, when ye shall testify that ye have seen me and that I am. Yea, blessed are they who shall believe on your words, and come into the depth of humility, and be baptized in my name. . . ." (JST Matt. 5:2.)

2. I say unto you

disciplesT, go ye into the world, and care not for the world, for the world will hate you, and will persecute you, and will turn you out of their synagogues. Nevertheless, ye shall go forth from house to house, teaching the people; and I will go before you. And your Heavenly Father will provide for you. . . ." (JST Matt. 6:25.)

3. "Now these are the words which Jesus taught his disciples that they should say unto them. . . ." (JST Matt. 7:1.)

4. "And again, ye shall say unto them. . . ." (JST. Matt. 7:3.)

5. "And then said his disciples unto him, they will say unto us, We ourselves are righteous, and need not that any man should teach us. God, we know, heard Moses and some of the prophets; but us he will not hear. And they will say, We have the law for our salvation, and that is sufficient for us. Then Jesus answered, and said unto his disciples, thus shall ye say unto them. . . ." (JST Matt. 7:9.)

6. "For the day soon cometh, that men shall come before me to judgment, to be judged according to their works." (JST Matt. 7:21.)

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Here the urgency of missionary work is stressed.T

Not only from these Joseph Smith Translations, but also from many of the other passages in the Sermon on the Mount, one realizes that Jesus was preparing His disciples for the great missionary work that was ahead of them, and the shortness of time to do their work. They, themselves, had to be in harmony with the Kingdom of God in order to be effective missionaries. Thus, many parts of the Sermon are devoted to their special needs, not only as missionaries but also as members of the Kingdom of God. Advice that is, in most cases, just as applicable to us in our day.

We, too, have but a short time, and there is no greater work for us than the building of the Kingdom of God. Missionary activity is the dominant force behind accomplishing this responsibility. The Sermon on the Mount was Jesus' counsel to His disciples when He saw the vastness of the multitude pressing upon Him. This same counsel applies to us as well.

Since our missionary responsibility includes the whole world, the Sermon on the Mount becomes as relevant to each member today as it was to the Savior's disciples in Galilee, or the Nephite Saints at the temple in Bountiful. It is a handbook of basic instructions that, if applied in our missionary endeavors, will reap for us eternal rewards. Until we read the Sermon on the Mount as a Kingdom of God/missionary sermon, we will be bereft of a great insight and blessing.

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